I’m so proud to tell you that last night David just finished the final requirement of our high school so he is cleared to graduate. He finished his senior project and presented the presentation to a panel of judges yesterday evening. I was so nervous, but I shouldn’t have been. He passed with flying colors. Now all he needs to do is show up to class and then show up for the graduation ceremony.

So…we are gearing up for another party. I just put the graduation announcementsin the mail today. No, I wasn’t really waiting for him to pass his project last night…honestly…that was just coincidence. I had every faith that he would pass. So now the invitations are in the mail and the party is one month away.

I was really impressed with the announcements we received as a part of the graduation package ordered from his school. We got engraved announcements with his full name, an inner envelope, an outer envelope, seal stickers and return address labels. It was reasonably priced and they look so nice.

Anyway…now it’s time to gear up for the party. Decorations, food, drink, making a slideshow, cleaning, etc. etc. etc. I get rather manic about throwing parties so my family is not really looking forward to the next month. Oh well…it will soon be over and it will be a dim memory.

Then we will be readying ourselves to set David on his way to the Marine Corps. THAT is another whole story in and of itself. Stay tuned — life is never boring, right?

How many times have you said, “I wish I had willpower and self discipline?” How many times have you started to do something and quit after a short time?

Most everyone has a at least a few habits they wish they could change — smoking, overeating, laziness, procrastination. To overcome these habits, you need some willpower and self discipline.

Definitions of Will Power and Self Discipline

Willpower is the ability to overcome laziness. Willpower is the ability to control or reject harmful impulses. When you make decisions and follow through with perseverance, you use willpower and self discipline. These inner skills are the cornerstones of success.

Self-discipline and willpower work together. When you use these skills together, you can withstand hardships and difficulties — physical, emotional and psychological. You gain the ability to reject immediate satisfaction to gain something better that requires time and effort.

Everyone has inner impulses that lead to saying and doing things that may lead to regret. By developing these willpower and self-discipline, you can become conscious of the inner, subconscious impulses and gain the ability to reject them when they are not positive.

When you use willpower and self-discipline, you will feel more powerful, more controlled, happier and more satisfied. There is a misconception about willpower. Many people consider willpower to be something strenuous, difficult and negative. This is a wrong concept. Willpower gets stronger with use, just like muscles get stronger when you use them.

An effective method for improving and developing willpower and self-discipline is the performance of certain actions or activities that you don’t want to do. By doing things that you do not like to do, you overcome your resistance, and train yourself to obey. As muscles get stronger with use, you build inner strength by overcoming inner resistance.

Exercises to try:

1) Give up your seat to someone on a bus or train, even if you prefer to stay seated. Do this, not just out of politeness but because you are doing something that you don’t want to do. This is an exercise in overcoming the resistance of your feelings.

2) Wash that sink full dishes right now, even though you do not want to wash them. When you force yourself to do a task that you don’t want to do, you are developing your willpower. Eventually, you will do these tasks without resistance.

3) If you like your coffee with cream and sugar, try drinking it black for a week. If you drink three cups of coffee each day, drink only two cups a day for one week.

Motivate yourself by thinking about the importance of the skills you are developing. Remember, the purpose of the exercises is to develop inner strength.

Benefits of WillPower and Self Discipline

These skills help control your thoughts and improve your concentration. The stronger these skills are, the more inner strength you possess.

Now is the time to develop willpower and self discipline!

I think I might satisfy myself by pulling up some unruly mint that has gotten away from me in my herb bed. Oh, what I wouldn’t do for a little help from someone like houston landscaping. I hate pulling mint!

It’s time to take back my garden plot and get some seeds and plants going. My hands are itching to get in there to do some digging and get veggies coming. I also found a brand new greenhouse that I want to check out. It’s filled with hanging baskets of all sizes and colors. Perfect for decking my porches and fences.

How about you? What is your gardening plan?

The farmers surrounding my little town are very busy in the fields already, turning them over and preparing to plant. They’re busy with the rich manure that will make the soil even more fertile than it already is.

It’s a sure sign of the growing season that has just gotten under way. It’s heaven to my nose!

It’s a challenging situation, helping a child choose a college. When our son was getting ready to graduate from high school in 2009, we began the process, not really understanding everything that was involved. Gradually, we learned the steps…he took his ACT and began applying at several colleges in the university system in our geographical location. He received acceptances from all three colleges to which he applied. Through a process of careful consideration, we finally decided that the best plan for him was to start at the community college within the university system and go there for two years. He completed his first four semesters there and then he transferred to a larger university system, where he is now just finishing his second semester. Time really flies!

We never considered colleges in other states because he was content to stay close to home…yay! But, I imagine some students would be drawn to colleges in Miami, for example. Do your research when you’re expanding your college search. The Internet is a valuable resource for college research, providing a huge amount of information about colleges in Miami and just about anywhere else, for that matter.

After researching online, you can narrow your selection and get a little more serious about the schools you are considering. This is the time when it’s appropriate to request an application package. Once you have application packages from schools you wish to pursue, then it’s time to fill out the paperwork. You will have to provide ACT scores and schools also charge an application fee that you must remit along with the application. It’s also best to submit the application by certified or registered mail to ensure that it arrives safely.

Once you apply, then it’s time to sit back and wait for the acceptance letters to arrive. Once you have a nice selection of acceptance letters, it’s time to make the final choice!

Isn’t it interesting to look back, see the progress, and wonder what progress lies ahead?